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Leeds head coach Daniel Farke claimed City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of simulating a knock to "bend the rules" during their Premier League match at Etihad Stadium

Leeds got off to the poorest beginning with Phil Foden scoring inside the first minute, before Josko Gvardiol doubled the home side's advantage ahead of the half-time break

Second-Half Revival Denied

Nevertheless, the visitors fought back after the interval following a change of strategy and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting immediately after the restart

And with City clearly having difficulty to cope with the adjustments moments before Lukas Nmecha equalized, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive treatment, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to call his team to the touchline and issue fresh instructions during the 120 seconds the game was halted for

"Everyone knows why he went down," Farke commented

"It is not the obvious issue. Why he fell it was clear. It is within the regulations. It is smart. If I approve? If it's within the spirit of fair play? If it ought to be like this I will keep to myself. It is for the governing bodies to determine a resolution"

Coach's Frustration

"I ask the assistant referee at this point if you want to do something. Our hands are tied"

"Unless we educate our footballers in the game what to do in terms of sportsmanship and fair play and whatever and if we just try to bend the rules and even do a fake injury in order to do an additional team talk, it is not what I approve of personally. But if it is within the rules I can't complain"

Late Winner

Foden's stoppage-time winner condemned Leeds to a sixth defeat in seven Premier League matches to leave them 18th in the division, with only bottom club Wolves having scored less top-flight strikes this season

Strategic Adjustments

Nonetheless, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of boldness particularly around substitutions, was almost vindicated for a courageous decision at the half-time that nearly turned around their fortunes

Talking to BBC Match of the Day, Foden, said that his side were only able to regroup following Pep Guardiola's sideline conference with his players

"At half-time we were in command. Second half they came out, pressed us a lot higher, they deployed a pair in attack and changed the setup a little bit," said Phil Foden

"We really had difficulty to get hold of the match. We assembled on the side of the pitch and adjusted a couple of aspects and it improved from there. That brief pause was crucial to get things right"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds

The most recent time Leeds United suffered four straight consecutive Premier League matches was in the 2022-23 season, when their season concluded with demotion

However, while Farke said that "their overriding feeling is disappointment", their second period performance offered sufficient evidence to indicate they are able of arresting their current run and climbing back up the standings

"Displaying such a performance should provide us plenty of confidence. If we demonstrate such determination and togetherness we have a excellent opportunity to earn the results," Farke added

"We possessed the confidence before the match, during the game and after the game. Otherwise you cannot come back with a performance like that. We have great togetherness and determination in the dressing room"

Expert Analysis

Commenting on radio analysis, ex- Scottish club attacker Chris Sutton said: "Everyone expected it to be a straightforward victory for Manchester City, but it has been far from easy in this second half"

"Leeds United can take a lot from this performance with the manner they have performed in this second period"

"Then came Daniel Farke's adjustments, who is often criticised for not being as proactive as he should be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and physically challenged the City defenders"

"It looked like it might be a huge turning point in Leeds United's campaign, but City found a bit of quality. They got away with one this afternoon"